The pair took little time to collect the other members. It became evident very quickly that Skye’s reluctance toward calling it a resistance was for a reason, because it seemed to be a pretty pathetic excuse for one. It was only the three others, which he’d specifically stated so she wasn’t entirely surprised by that. Admittedly, despite thinking it was pathetic, she was a little relieved that there wasn’t more as she could see how such a thing might be used to their advantage.

Regardless, she felt like a rebellion called for more. The stories she read suggested that rebellion was a large uprising that united the people to fight against their oppressor.

This group was just pitiful.

It was made up of a Hybrid, a Sindor, and an Amaloran, information which confused her further. Even Skye himself was from the neighboring country, Vousili. It and Amalar were both countries to the west that labeled themselves as allies of Evoles, she knew, but it still seemed odd that out of the group only the hybrid was a native of the country they were protecting. And the Sindor brought even more questions, as she’d read that relations with Sindora had been strained for some time.

Tya hadn’t really taken time to further study any of her apparent allies aside from their general appearances. She followed Skye, hanging back and watching each just from the back as they struck up idle conversation amongst themselves. Two of the three had noticed her presence, but the third was far too busy babbling on about something, and neither of the two said anything to her. Only after they returned to the shop, particularly the blood-drawing room, did they pay her any mind.

The first they’d found was the Hybrid, Melody Visser. Tya assumed immediately that the fox mix wasn’t exactly bright. She fit the bill after all, being bubbly and rather adorable. Generally those types were airheaded and ditzy. Tya watched for a moment as Melody wiggled in her seat and watched the ground as if it were going to do something particularly interesting.

Tya’s attention shifted to the next person, the Amaloran. Veselin Vetarra stood, arms crossed and attention turned toward the window. He seemed the brooding type right off. She could only assume she wouldn’t be particularly fond of him, given his edgy demeanor.

She shook her head, looking to the last in the room, the Sindor. Sarobie Secada—she seemed to be rather outspoken. Tya expected she’d be immature and loud, especially if her ancestry was any indication. Tya had collected many published journals about the study of magic from other countries, and perhaps it was just bias, but the vast majority of scholars seemed to think that Sindors were pompous, aggressive idiots.

Skye entered the room finally, after having collected chairs from around the shop to give everyone. Tya would have said it was odd that they didn’t have a specific place for them to meet up in, but in all honesty it didn’t surprise her. This group seemed much too disorganized and misfit for something like that.

He set down the last, his own, and plopped onto it as he looked around at everyone. He smiled at the others briefly before motioning to Tya.

“So this is…” he paused, hand lowering slowly, “you know, I don’t think you actually ever told me your name.” He tilted his head at Tya, wondering how he managed to overlook that. It likely wasn’t difficult, given how exhausting dealing with her was. He’d been too preoccupied with trying to talk some sense into her to remember formalities like that.

“Tya Maraise.” She stated, looking at the others.

“I already told you their names as we were getting them, didn’t I? Melody Visser, Sarobie Secada, and Veselin Vetarra,” Skye repeated, pointing to each as he said their names again.

And as each name was said, the owner replied with a nod or a wave.

“You’re helping us??” Melody asked, inching to the edge of her seat with a hopeful look. Fox ears perked upright as she awaited an answer.

“More than that,” Skye smiled, leaning forward and propping his elbows on his knees. “She’s a fire mage.”

“So Lillia got one?” Sarobie spoke up, seemingly impressed by this. “I thought we’d need to get some outside help, honestly. I was starting to think Evoles didn’t have what we were looking for.”

Tya watched Sarobie carefully, hanging on to the conversation by a thread at that point. She wasn’t trying to disregard it, but she couldn’t help but be distracted, because looking at Sarobie again prompted the same question from Tya it had when she’d first set eyes upon her: “Why are you here?” Only this time it was said aloud in a particularly tactless manner.

It was the skin tone—dark but not as much as Skye’s--, the dark hair, and dark eyes as well as somewhat rectangular face and eye shape that were all strong implications of Sindor blood. “You are Sindor, are you not? I thought they disliked Evoles. And every country, for that matter.”

Sarobie’s response was to narrow her eyes at first, as if she were understandably offended by the question. But it seemed she was more taken aback by the abrupt shift in the subject, because when she actually spoke up, her words were free of aggression, as was her body language. “Sindor, yeah, but I was born in Evoles.”

Tya quieted then. She was surprised by the response, really. From what she’d read, it didn’t seem like many Sindors were willing to part with their homeland because they all strongly believed in their sides of an ongoing civil war. But thinking about it a little more, Tya realized it was actually ridiculous of her to assume every single person in a country would want to be a part of a civil war started centuries ago.

“And you?” Tya’s gaze then shifted to Veselin whose eyes widened and body stiffened at the acknowledgement.

“I am not a Sindor.” He replied, and Tya waved a hand dismissively.

“I know, you’re Amaloran.” With him, it was the sharp, prominent jawline, high cheekbones, skin that was darker than her own but lighter than Sarobie and Skye, and the aquiline nose. Along with that, his style. Collared vest with long hems, clasped at the neck but left to hang elsewhere. That was distinct Amaloran fashion, she’d seen it in many pictures.

“Oh, I-I…” He trailed off, looking away as he caught on to what was being asked. “I came to lend a hand when I heard about what was going on.”

She nodded in response, then looked to Skye as if her question should be obvious to him. With him it was the feminine features, long eyelashes, slightly upward slanted eyes of a light color, and something about his skin… She couldn’t place what, but it was soft, almost as if it had a glow to it. That type of thing had been mentioned in journals more so than actual writings, but she wasn’t ever sure what it meant until she saw Skye.

He sat up a bit, his arms straightening as he looked around then back to Tya.

“You are Vous,” Tya tilted her head, her expression relaying curiosity.

“Well, yes. I was sent by the Aikali Queens.”

Aikali Queens. She’d read about them.

The three bird hybrid women that governed Vousili.

“You were sent by the government?” Tya couldn’t help but be intrigued. “And yet you have set up shop?”

“Yes,” he nodded his head. “I needed a source of income, and cover, and I work closely under the Aikali Queens, I’m—“ he motioned toward the door that led back into the shop itself. “I’m their apothecary.”

“I thought apothecaries were meant only to make potions. And yet you were trusted to travel to another country and join in a conflict?”

“I volunteered for the job.” Skye said as if that should suffice. Tya was still a bit unsure of whether or not that was a good practice, but aside from knowing that the Aikali Queens were indeed what ran Vousili, she was entirely ignorant of Vous government. The only other thing she knew was the wide spread opinion that the Aikali as a race were not to be trifled with. They likely knew what they were doing more than she did.

Tya sat back then, hands clasped and rested in her lap. The look she had was one that told them they were allowed to continue with the topic they’d been on beforehand.

Before they could though, the fox girl slumped, an exaggerated frown on her face as she said “aw, you didn’t ask about me”.

Tya’s head tilted lightly, and she looked over the other. “You are a Hybrid. They are Evolian.”

Melody shrugged dramatically before nodding. “Yup, most of ‘em yeah. I coulda been born somewhere else though.”

“Were you?” Tya leaned forward once more, curious about the answer. However Melody’s eyes narrowed and her shoulder’s dropped.

“No,” she huffed, ”I was born here.”

“My question would still be relevant, I suppose. You are a hybrid, and putting yourself in this position means you are in danger. You were not wanted before this, judging by Valya’s particularly heroic speech.” Of course the word was said spitefully, Tya rolling her eyes as she did.

Melody shrugged simply, “I don’t want people to get hurt.”

This response brought the small flicker of a smile onto Tya’s lips. Her fiction always read that a rebellion had a pure hearted leader, one which had truly heroic intentions when battling the evil that loomed over them.

“Perhaps you would be the leader we’d need then,” she leaned back in her chair once again and crossed her arms. Melody’s expression lit up and she looked from Tya to Skye, who flashed a small smile before sitting upright.

“I can be the leader?” She asked hopefully, and Skye chuckled before motioning for her to go ahead.

A small squeal left the fox, but then her expression hardened and she looked at everyone. Her lips pursed, and after looking at each face, her soft amber gaze went to the ceiling as she muttered some words to herself.

After a second, she looked back at everyone once again. “How do we know we can trust you?” She asked Tya immediately.

“You don’t, but I feel this is a question that should have been asked much sooner. I know your names, faces, and whereabouts, if I was to betray you, you would be unable to stop me.” The Elemental said. Again, Melody’s lips pursed and she nodded in a manner that said that was right.

“So if others are gonna join, we should probably take measures to make sure they're not gonna betray us,” she looked at Skye.

Tya raised a hand momentarily from the crossed position over her chest, garnering attention so she could ask “Had you all not declared a leader before this?”

“Skye was the one acting as lead.” Sarobie motioned toward him.

“I mean I was only doing what Lillia said.”

“But that doesn’t matter cuz without her here she can’t dictate every decision unless we are gonna write her every time we need help, which will take way too long and also be super inconvenient and dangerous. Way too much documentation of what we gotta do.” Melody spoke, and the group quieted. She stopped to think again, then continued with “I don’t think we need any more people now, since we got what we needed, but if anyone else does come along, we can’t just let them in like that, we gotta make sure they are okay and not gonna betray us. Spies against us would be really bad, cuz that would definitely get Lillia and Nisaki caught.”

Tya’s head tilted once again, and she leaned forward in her chair as she heard the unfamiliar name. “Nisaki?”

The Fox paused and looked at her, mouth opening to answer but she wasn’t given the chance. The sound of the shop’s door opening and closing caused immediate unease amongst them. Tya moved to the edge of her seat and Sarobie and Skye both stood.

Melody had moved to do the same, but Veselin put a hand on her arm and shook his head. Tya could see him mouth something, though she wasn’t sure what. Skye held a hand up, signaling that they all stay put. He hurried to the door and hesitated briefly before putting on a smile and pulling it open to see who it was that had barged in.

He seemed as if he was going to confront them, but he relaxed rather quickly. From the other side, Tya heard a smooth, gentle man’s voice greet him, then Skye stepped aside and motioned into the room.

In stepped another hybrid, this one a feline man. Tya immediately placed him as foreign as well. Emtirian, to be exact, given his dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin, and well defined, thin features. He paused when he was greeted by the eyes of more people than he expected, and flashed a somewhat nervous smile. Skye disappeared from view then, drawing the key out of his pocket just before. Tya guessed he was going to lock the door to prevent such an intrusion from someone else.

The man looked at everyone, preparing to speak up until he noticed Tya. Her presence made him flinch and his smile dropped. Dark eyes flickered around the room before setting on Tya again.

No one said a word, but as Skye inched back in and closed the door behind him, he muttered the words “she’s fine” to the stranger.

He released a breath then, nodding before holding a folded bunch of paper out to Skye.

Skye took it, and as he began to open it, the stranger turned back to Tya then. He watched her for a second before he held his hand out flat and gave yet another nervous smile.

She looked at his hand for perhaps a moment too long before it occurred to her that this was a greeting.

She set her hand in his own, bowing her head gently and he did the same. The look he had said he was relieved that she returned this gesture.

“I don’t think we’ve met,” he said, not in the same patronizing manner that aggravated her with others before, but genuine gentleness. It was more like he intended this conversation to be between only the two of them.

“I don’t believe so,” she said, giving a small nod in agreement. “You are?”

“Nisaki Hundera.”

Tya looked to Melody for a second, then back. “That’s rather convenient, isn’t it?” This statement made his expression fall once again and he looked around with innocent eyed confusion as if he was trying to get clarification from the others on what she meant.

Clarification which Melody happily sang “I was just talking about you!”

Nisaki mouthed the phrase “ah”, then faced Tya again. “I’d guess it is then, huh?”

“I am Tya Maraise.”

“Local sentient torch,” Skye had taken his seat, resting the letter in his lap as he watched the two of them interact.

“Sentient torch-“ Nisaki repeated, looking from Skye to her, “you’re the fire mage?” He lowered, kneeling at her side as he awaited her response. Tya nodded in response and he smiled. “Lillia said you were difficult to talk to. You don’t seem it to me though.”

“She speaks so highly of me,” Tya replied bitterly.

Behind her, Skye nodded. “She’s incredibly difficult.”

“I don’t see any problem with her,” Melody butted in, but Skye immediately disagreed.

“I’m only complicated when I’m forced into a situation I would prefer not to be in,” Tya said and motioned around them. “Such as this one.”

“I think that’s reasonable,” Veselin spoke up, only to earn a look from Sarobie.

“You only think so because you also like to be difficult,” Sarobie spat, causing the Amaloran to roll his eyes at her.

Listening to the bickering Nisaki couldn’t help but start to laugh quietly. It seemed he was embarrassed of this fact, because a hand rose to wipe away his smile.

As the chatter continued on amongst the others, Tya noticed Skye had broken open the thick letter he had been given. He’d begun to flip through the pages, clearly skimming rather than reading.

After a moment, his voice managed to calm the idle conversation.

“She sent people out to Amalar and Shiratori,” was all he said at first. Tya watched the expressions on the other’s change. Sarobie and Veselin both showed confusion, while Melody seemed to want him to continue on.

“Why Amalar?” Veselin shook his head, hands splaying briefly before dropping heavily to his sides.

“I think it’s more important to ask why Shiratori? The island is a death trap for people in general, even more so to people like her,” Sarobie corrected. “For Amalar, I’d guess she had some sort of hope of finding others that want what she wants. After all it’s the birthplace of Sékism. Shiratori though, that’s… It’s just sadistic, really.”

Sadistic seemed like an odd word to use in such a situation until Tya thought on it more. While it wasn’t something that was specific to her learning, Tya would admit to having read way too much on the island of Shiratori, as it was one of Arantis' mysteries that absolutely intrigued her. It was apparently an incredibly green island, covered in vegetation, all of which was coated in a heavy mist. More interestingly though, there was the fact that the island itself was the home of Banbhan’s tomb, and was littered with traps made specifically fatal toward Sékan. And then there was the fact every report she could find of the island specifically said that four explorers from every convoy would go missing over the course of their stay.

But that was beside the point.

The point was, it only took a second to realize Sarobie was definitely right in her choice of words. Sending their kind to an island specifically made fatal to Sékan was indeed sadistic.

“Why does anyone follow this woman?” Tya spoke up, seemingly exasperated by the very thought.

Nisaki was the one to answer, simply saying “hope”.

A response that was questioned immediately by Tya. “And what do they have to hope for? Death? I’m sure a quick one can be arranged should they just ask.”

“N-No, not death,” he shook his head, brow furrowing as he readjusted to fully sit on the floor at her side. “Hope that she’ll succeed, and that they won’t have to fight for food anymore.”

His response actually made Tya draw back slightly, a spike of guilt arising at what had been a hostile response on her end. She had gathered as much, but had only really thought about it in Valya's position rather than her followers. The fact that her support may spawn from a helplessness.

“They hope she’ll get among the Council, because when she does, she’ll have the power needed to provide for all of them as opposed to those in Evoles.” He continued to say.

She actually hadn’t expected such a response, but perhaps that was because her view of the situation was entirely black and white. Lillia had told her that her mother desired power, but hadn’t further explained why. And Tya didn’t think about it after that, because villains always desired power to further their own selfish agenda, did they not? That was a staple in any book, which was the aspect of a villain that made them a villain.

“They aren’t malicious,” Skye soon added.

“They just want to survive, but we can’t let 'em brutally kill people ‘cause of it.” Melody moved a hand to rest on her chest, an action that implied to Tya that Melody actually felt bad for their course of action.

Tya was glad that she at least wasn’t the only one that did.

She resigned, moving back in her seat and bowing her head to show she would not interrupt more.

Skye watched her for a moment before deciding to move on rather than linger on a subject that seemed to significantly down morale. “So then what should our plan be?”

“I think we shouldn’t waste time on what she’s doing there,” Melody started, looking around to everyone to see if anyone would oppose her statement.

“Whatever she’s doing, it’s probably for her cause, and that means it needs to be stopped.” Sarobie stated, a hand motioning outward toward Melody.

“And taking her out will stop her.” Melody retorted, only to watch Sarobie shake her head vigorously.

“It won’t, because the bulk still supports her. Even without her, they can launch full scale attacks on the people.”

“What are they going to do then?” Veselin asked. “If they don’t have Valya, they don’t have power. They can launch organized attacks, but they can’t do as much damage because people won’t be afraid to fight back.”

“A lotta people will be left alone too, cuz without someone in power condoning what they do, they can’t just set up somewhere and kidnap people and keep them, at least not the way they’re doing it now.” Melody added.

Veselin nodded in agreement. “So we ambush her and take her down, and hope without a head of power the groups will be forced into hiding, where what they can do is severely limited?”

“When we get Lillia into power, we will be able to send out people that can look into what it was Valya was doing. I think Lillia can handle that.” Nisaki assured Sarobie specifically, but everyone nodded to show they understood.

“Well then we’ll form a detailed plan,” Skye looked to Nisaki. “Are you able to stay or are they expecting you back?”

“I don’t really think that matters if you’re planning the attack soon,” Nisaki said.

Tya adjusted a bit to look at him, realizing she still wasn’t entirely sure who he was to the group. She didn’t ask though—it didn’t seem like the time.

“We will break for now. We’ll need you to draw up a map of the castle, as detailed as possible. How long do you think that will take you?” Skye stood from his seat but kept his attention on Nisaki.

“Not long? An hour or two?” He answered.

The group seemed to accept this, as Veselin and Sarobie both prepared to leave with mutterings that they were hungry. Melody however, elected to stay, which Tya was somewhat thankful for. She wasn’t sure it was an option until the fox asked to do so.

Skye had disappeared up the stairs momentarily, and as he did, Nisaki cleared out an area on which he could successfully paint out a map. Melody had offered her help, but given the small work-space, she mostly just sat and rambled on about meaningless topics which Nisaki indulged in.

Tya wandered back out into the closed shop portion of Skye’s building, and had begun to casually stroll along the tables, reading the fine lettering put upon cards before each plant.

With each, she thought of what she knew, realizing it really wasn’t much. She knew only of things that grew in Evoles alone—things that a real person should never come in contact with, and should be wary of should it be crossed in the wild.

After all, someone with a keen eye might question her if she were to come across, say Glass Roses, but not draw back with a gasp like most as it felt like tiny shards of glass buried into their fingers. Or if she happened across Silverleaf, but with no oils in her hands, the plant’s secretions were unable to turn her skin to the scaly, metallic grey that earned it its name, as it would a normal person.

Most of the plants she passed by, eyeing carefully through her heat sensed vision, she was entirely unfamiliar with... A barbed plant with leaves that, if Tya could see true color, she would have noted seemed as if they were wilting with the dark brown. A purple flowered plant, with petals that seemed slick to the touch, though she wasn’t sure why. Vines that seemed unkempt, spilling out of their pot, curling around the labeled card before it, and down the legs of the table it sat on.

Each seemed so interesting, and she had tried to take mental note of their names so she may read up on them later, but she couldn’t possibly remember each one. It was a shame, really, and her disappointment in such must have been evident, because Skye did soon approach her.

It was a pleasant conversation.

She didn’t expect that, given the fact that she had been intolerable almost the entire time, and therefore her discussions with allies had been somewhat strained. But he spoke to her calmly and happily, even going as far as easing her curiosity on some of the plants she roamed near.

He’d point to them when her eyes fell on them, and give their most common names; the barbed plant was called Allseasoning. It was used, as the name suggests, for seasoning. It was meant to be finely ground, and used primarily on meat, though Skye informed her that it worked just as well on vegetables, since meat was a rarity in Evoles. Then there was the plant with oiled leaves. It was apparently a native of Vousili called Ládi, which was used as moisturizer. He claimed to use it in his own hair quite often, to keep it from drying out. The vines she’d taken an interest in were a flowering plant from Emtiris, which had relaxing properties when crushed and blended with a liquid. He said he often gave Kotiva, the vine, to people with muscle pains, but he also found that if it was mixed with Ládi, it would straighten out the tight curls in his hair.

He even drew one of those dark locks forward, letting it slip through his fingers as he showed it to Tya. “My hair is naturally curled. Complete opposite of yours, kind of like Melody’s really,” he motioned back to the happy fox that was then hovering over Nisaki. Tya could just barely see the pair through the slightly ajar door.

She nodded, somewhat understanding what he meant—Melody had hair that even Tya could tell was brightly colored, though she couldn’t tell what it was exactly. It didn’t completely resemble her own golden blonde hair, but it certainly wasn’t as dark as Skye’s black hair, or even Sarobie’s chestnut. It was pulled up into a badly contained bun, tight little corkscrew curls bouncing out here and there, primarily in the front, where it seemed too short to join the rest.

“It’s a little fluffier, and I think her’s is longer when it’s down,” Skye said thoughtfully, head tilting as he examined Melody for a moment or two longer. While it was mostly for Tya's benefit that he said these things, he did actually have that meaningless desire to see who's was longer. He soon straightened, inhaling and smiling toward Tya again, then motioning back toward the plants. He continued on, giving her little details of the herbs in his shop, and before she knew it the time they needed to waste was up.